Assad thanks Putin for stopping terrorism in surprise Moscow visit

MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a surprise visit to Moscow, his first international trip since his country's civil war began in 2011, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Assad visited Moscow on Tuesday but the meeting was not announced until Wednesday, when he was back in Damascus.

Russia recently began a military campaign in Syria by conducting airstrikes against targets that oppose the Assad regime -- primarily bombing the Islamic State, but often targeting rebel forces seeking to overthrow Assad.

Assad praised Russia's involvement in the conflict that helped stop the spread of "terrorism" that was becoming "more widespread and harmful." Putin thanked Assad for visiting despite the "dramatic situation" back home.

Putin said Russia's involvement to fight "international terrorism" was also designed to protect Russia as well. He said there are about 4,000 people from the former Soviet Union who are fighting in Syria currently and who could return to hurt Russia.

"We cannot permit them -- once they get fighting experience there and ideological training -- to turn up here in Russia," Putin said.

Both Assad and Putin said a political solution is needed to end the Syrian civil war.

More than 250,000 people have died and more than 4 million have been displaced by the Syrian civil war. A U.S.-led coalition has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq for more than a year.

Assad thanked Russia for "standing up for the unity of Syria and its independence."

"Terrorism is a real obstacle to a political solution... and of course the whole [Syrian] people want to take part in deciding the fate of their state, and not just the leadership," Assad added.